How to Apply the Faith and Fitness Framework to Your Daily Life
It started out as the 4 pillars of healthy living. They were areas that we focused on in my early accountability groups, groups I used to run every few months. Now I have an ongoing support and accountability community where women can stay as long as they need to establish their fitness on a firm foundation of faith. I’ve written posts about the importance of faith, food, exercise, and water as they relate to your healthy living journey.
But today I want to break down my Faith and Fitness Framework in some simple steps that you can apply to your daily life. This is the same framework we use in the Faith and Fitness Support and Accountability Community. Each day there is an accountability post that allows the members to check in. We base the check-ins on the four areas. Some women simply report in with a number (1, 2, 3, 4); others indicate which area they did well in and which they struggled with.
As stated above, my Faith and Fitness Framework started out with four pillars: Faith, Food, Exercise, Water. It still has those components, but it’s important to note that those pillars aren’t created equally. Because of that, I think I need to stop referring to them as four pillars and instead look at this using the image of a house. Faith is our foundation. It is the most important part. If we don’t have a foundation, we don’t have a house. We can’t build something lasting without a firm foundation. We know this from reference in the Bible (see Luke 6:48) and the Three Little Pigs!
Once you set your foundation of faith, then you can build up the rest of your house. When you’re building your healthy lifestyle according to this plan, you get to decide what the next step is. Of course, you need the walls, but will you work on movement or water or nutrition? And you get to decide what that will look like. If you choose to work on movement as your walls, then what kind of movement will you start doing? So on with the windows and finally the roof. When you live inside this house that you built, you can live happily. You can live within those boundaries that you set. This solid structure becomes the life you want to live. A life set on a foundation of faith with you eating, drinking, and moving in a way that you are comfortable with. In a way that makes you feel safe and secure. In a way that is healthy and sustainable.
This space, this framework, my books, everything that I share must first lead you to faith. Rather than “faith and fitness,” the tag line could easily be faith then fitness, or faith first fitness, or faith driven fitness.
The result is to live fit and free.
What is that? Living a healthy life that leads to freedom, not restriction and judgement. It’s a lifestyle where you make decisions to honor your body not to punish your body. Taking this approach will allow you to enjoy your age and stage of life.
Let’s take a look at each area. But first, I want you to note that you will need to determine what the exact application of each area will look like for you. You can get help with that in my support and accountability community or working with me one-on-one.
Faith
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)
Do all for the glory of God. God must be the driving force of our actions. Therefore, we need to be in His Word to know His will.
If you do nothing else with your day, I urge you to spend time with the Lord. Without that firm foundation, nothing else matters.
Your time with the Lord could be prayer, Bible study, church, a quiet walk in His presence. Whatever it is that allows you to connect with Him.
Exercise
I’m a firm believer in the benefits of movement. But too many people think that exercise requires a gym membership or an hour a day. Exercise can be a ten-minute walk. It can be a yoga flow or a stretching session.
What this pillar looks like when you apply the Faith and Fitness Framework:
- Regular movement
- Movement that you enjoy
Bonus tip: Get outside. While you’re outside, you can have your daily dose of Jesus, fresh air, and movement all at once!
Water
It sounds so simple and yet drinking adequate water daily can make a huge difference in overall health.
Several years ago, I taught a step aerobics class at our local gym. I had a participant replace her daily Mountain Dew with water. She lost ten pounds in a month!
Not only does water give you a sense of fullness and acts as a natural detoxifier for your body, it makes up the majority of your body composition.
What people don’t realize is that water doesn’t make you “hold water.” We retain water when we don’t drink enough because our body is afraid we won’t get anymore, and we need water to survive.
How this component looks when you apply it to the Faith and Fitness Framework:
- Drink more water than anything else throughout the day
- Rule of thumb – drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day
Food
This is likely the most difficult for most people for a couple of reasons: 1.) The Faith and Fitness Framework is not an eating plan. I won’t tell you to “eat this, not that,” give you a food list, or meal plan. 2.) Life. Schedules.
I’ve tried all the diets, and I’ve learned that restriction almost always leads to binging. I’ve also learned that if we don’t learn a way to eat that satisfies us, we’ll always be thinking about food.
The way food works in the Faith and Fitness Framework requires us to get in tune with our own body. We start by becoming a detective of how our body responds to certain foods. We become more aware of what it takes to satisfy us before becoming stuffed.
Women desiring a better relationship with her body have more than likely tried many diets. She knows the basics of “healthy eating,” but she’s not been able to apply it in a way that leads to freedom.
“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 (CSB)
What this component looks like when you apply the Faith and Fitness Framework is eating to satisfaction but not feeling stuffed. It’s choosing foods that you like and that also make you feel good. When I coach with you, I share the basics of #Moderation365. It’s a nutritional approach that I am certified in that helps you learn a way to eat that adapts to any day of the year and any season of life you’re in.
How to apply the faith and fitness framework to your daily life so you can start living fit and free. #faithandfitness #fitandfree Share on XIn summary
Faith and Fitness Framework – It’s the 4 areas to focus on to honor the body God has entrusted to you so that you are free to do the work He’s called you to do and to enjoy your age and stage of life.
Faith – The foundation for everything. It must be part of your everyday life. Prayer Bible reading. Praise music. Quiet time with the Lord.
Exercise – Move regularly in a way that you enjoy. Choose movement that will facilitate strength, stamina, and flexibility.
Water – Drink mostly water to adequately hydrate your body for proper organ function and for effective digestion.
Food – Eat in a way that satisfies and properly fuels your body…for strength, energy, nourishment, and enjoyment.
To get my free checklist for the Faith and Fitness Framework, go here.
Whether you choose to join the Faith and Fitness Support and Accountability Community where you’ll get daily encouragement and accountability in applying the framework or you simply begin to apply this on your own, you will find yourself living fit and free.
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